Fall
by Everlasting Hope
Summary: One Shot Cuddy attends House's funeral.


This is my first House fic. Reviews would be awesome! Disclaimer- I don't own any of the characters.

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Fall was finally here. The leaves on the trees were turning colors. Bright orange and yellow fell from the trees whenever the wind blew. Slowly Cuddy walked towards the park where the funeral was being held, her black skirt was fluttering in the wind. She quickly spotted the black casket that was set against the beautiful oak trees. Its' darkness seemed to swallow the tree's brightness.

Cuddy sighed. The contrast seemed to summarize her life. Bright at first until darkness overpowered the light. Until finally the light was extinguished. Within that coffin was one of the best doctors in the country, Gregory House.

It was now when reality finally seemed real. Cuddy had never felt so cold inside, so alone. Granted she had friends at the hospital, but one face would never appear again. No one would ever push her buttons or undercut her authority like House did. No one would ever argue about clinic hours either. These would be things that she would truly miss.

Suddenly, an arm wrapped around Cuddy's waist as she turned and looked into the brown eyes of Dr. James Wilson, House's best friend.

"It's time Cuddy," Wilson slowly whispered.

With baby steps and fear in her eyes Cuddy walked towards the casket. With each passing step she felt more and more afraid. Afraid of seeing a man dead, a man who she had known so well, a man that knew her inside and out. House had stood for more than she would ever know. He stood for everyone's right to life and if anything stood in between that right such as ethics, or medical policy, he would ignore the rules and do what he thought was right. Because of that Cuddy truly admired him.

Finally Cuddy reached the casket and with a deep breath she peered inside. Its contents contained a man. His eyes were closed and his face was coated with makeup. To her he still looked so alive, as if he would just jump up and crack a crude joke about what she was wearing or her new medical policies. But, inside Cuddy knew that wasn't true. She continued to ponder why death was so permanent. Why does it seem that the people who are the most important to us are always taken away first? But, deep down Cuddy knew the answer. Without death, life wouldn't be important.

Cuddy continued to stare at the man she knew so well. She began to notice the wrinkles that plagued the skin around his eyes and on his forehead. How his hair was patched with sprinkles of gray. How much the bald spot on the back of his head had grown. But through all this observation, Cuddy came to the realization. She realized that what she missed the most about House was his clear blue eyes. A touch brighter than her own but oh so similar. Both of their eyes had shared the pain of watching their miserable lives. Watching patients die and the ripple affects that carried to their loved ones and beyond. Almost like today. The ripples being emitted by the casket to the surrounding people. Ironically, their blues eyes each watched as they each suffered. But, yet their eyes were able to always detect each other's pain.

Slowly Cuddy reached towards her own eyes. Her fingertips felt the moisture from her tears and absorbed the black mascara from her smeared makeup. She had promised herself that she wouldn't cry. House would want her to be strong and continue to expect her see the world as she always had. The way that it is and the way that it could be. And House was right. She would never be happy. Maybe it was okay for her to cry. To express her feelings in a physical action. Something that she should have done more often. Something she should have done with House.

Through thick and thin he was always there for her. Whenever she needed a consult, or when she just needed a friend he was there. Usually annoying and extremely manipulative he was always able to make her see the light. Make her see what the world could be, make her see how important one life is and all that we must do to protect it.

Slowly Cuddy reached down inside the casket and stroked his rough cold cheek.

"Thank you for everything House. Thank you for saving all those lives and impacting so many people. And most of all, thank you for being my friend," whispered Cuddy as she left the casket and headed home. Slowly she walked into the distance taking one last glace at the black casket shaded beneath the orange and yellow leaves of the turning oak trees.

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Thanks for reading!


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